Digitizer error detection and recovery

Abstract

A digitizer includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a data link of a given interface standard between the ADC and the FPGA, and a display device operatively connected to the FPGA. The FPGA includes an IP controller configured according to the interface standard of the data link. An error detection and recovery method for the digitizer includes applying an analog input source signal to the ADC, acquiring data samples on the data link from the ADC to the FPGA, and the IP controller checking the data samples for errors. When the data samples include errors, the method further includes (a) the IP controller displaying on the display device a waveform of the captured data samples and an error message, (b) a user adjusting a voltage of the input signal source to within a given peak-to-peak voltage range, and (c) the IP controller resetting the data link without power cycling of the digitizer. When the data sample does not include errors, the method includes displaying on the display device a waveform of the captured data samples.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An error detection and recovery method for a digitizer, the digitizer including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a data link of a given interface standard between the ADC and the FPGA, and a display device operatively connected to the FPGA, the FPGA including an IP controller configured according to the interface standard of the data link, the method comprising:
 applying an analog input source signal to the ADC; 
 acquiring data samples on the data link from the ADC to the FPGA; 
 the IP controller checking the data samples for errors; 
 when the data samples include errors, (a) the IP controller displaying on the display device a waveform of the captured data samples and an error message, (b) a user adjusting a voltage of the input signal source to within a given peak-to-peak voltage range, and (c) the IP controller resetting the data link without power cycling of the digitizer; 
 when the data samples do not include errors, displaying on the display device a waveform of the captured data samples. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data link is a JESD204 link, and the IP controller is a JESD IP controller. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein resetting of the data link is transparent to the user. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein, when the data samples include errors, after the user adjusts the voltage of the input signal source, new data samples are acquired and a flush operation is executed to confirm an absence of errors before the IP controller resets the data link. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data samples are acquired at a sampling rate of at least 4.8 GSa/sec. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein data samples are at least 12-bit data samples. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peak-to-peak voltage range is about 900 mV. 
     
     
       8. A digitizer comprising:
 an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to obtain data samples of an input analog source signal; 
 a field programmable gate array (FPGA) including an IP controller and an I/O port for connection to a display device; 
 a data link between the ADC and the FPGA, the data link operating according to a given interface standard, wherein the IP controller of the FPGA is configured to communicate with the interface standard of the data link; and 
 wherein the FPGA is configured to:
 acquire data samples on the data link from the ADC; 
 check the data samples for errors; 
 when the data samples include errors, (a) displaying on the display device a waveform of the captured data samples and an error message, and (b) after a voltage of the input analog source signal is adjusted to within a given peak-to-peak voltage range, restoring the data link without power cycling of the digitizer; 
 when the data samples do not include errors, displaying on the display device a waveform of the captured data samples. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The digitizer of  claim 8 , wherein the data link is a JESD204 link, and the IP controller is a JESD IP controller. 
     
     
       10. The digitizer of  claim 8 , wherein resetting of the data link is transparent to the user. 
     
     
       11. The digitizer of  claim 8 , wherein the voltage of the input analog source signal is adjusted by a user. 
     
     
       12. The digitizer of  claim 11 , wherein, when the data samples include errors, after the user adjusts the voltage of the input signal source, the IP controller is configured to acquire new data samples and execute a flush operation on previously acquired data samples to confirm an absence of errors before the IP controller resets the data link. 
     
     
       13. The digitizer of  claim 8 , wherein the data samples are acquired at a sampling rate of at least 4.8 GSa/sec. 
     
     
       14. The digitizer of  claim 13 , wherein data samples are at least 12-bit data samples. 
     
     
       15. The digitizer of  claim 8 , wherein the peak-to-peak voltage range is about 900 mV.